Dance: Starry Skies

PE | Year 1 | Unit Overview

Introduction
The Dance – Starry Skies Unit for Year 1 teaches children to dance on their own, with partners and in groups. They experiment with dancing with objects
and pretending to dance with them. They make shapes with objects, their bodies and others, hold them and move in them. The unit draws upon exciting
stimuli that link well to cross-curricular themes, including fireworks, astronauts, aliens, the stars and literacy with the ‘Aliens Love Underpants’ story. The
lessons suggest a broad selection of music and instruments to use as accompaniments to movement. The children copy and develop dance patterns
of their own to the music. They explore light and heavy movements, moving along different pathways, retell stories and consider ways to demonstrate
emotions. In each lesson they have the opportunity to observe each other dancing, describe and appreciate their movements.

Assessment Statements
By the end of this unit...
...all children should be able to:
• move freely to music;
• dance in the wider space;
Health & Safety • move fast or slow;
Check that children are wearing appropriate clothes for PE (plimsolls or • move high or low;
trainers, loose-fitting shorts/tracksuits and T-shirt). Long hair should be tied • move an object;
back and jewellery removed. Refer to the Adult Guidance for the unit for • make a spikey shape;
safe techniques when jumping. Make sure the children are aware of others
• make a low shape;
around them when they are moving and that they take care. Follow your
• follow a pathway;
school’s risk assessment at all times when teaching PE.
• jump;
• copy movements;
• work on their own;
• use expressions to communicate feelings;
• say how they or someone else moves;
• say if they like some music or a dance.

Home Learning ...most children will be able to:

Starry Skies Activities: The home learning provides children with six • make a shape hold it and move about in that shape;
physical activities linked to their learning. Activities can be completed at • make a high and low level shape;
home with a family member or friend, or with a partner during school or • dance in their personal space and in the wider space;
extracurricular time. • dance with an object to communicate an idea;
• pretend to dance with an object to communicate an idea;
• move to the rhythm of the music;
• move an object to the rhythm of the music;
• mirror movements;
• choose movements to add together to make a dance;
• talk about how music and dancing makes them feel;
• say what they like about their own and other’s
Wider Learning movements;
Watch this video and see ‘Melody’ take a trip in a space rocket accompanied
• use movement to communicate feelings;
by Gustav Holst’s The Planets, Mars, The Bringer of War or listen to the
music here. Watch the ‘Aliens Love Underpants’ show. Use this resource for • perform basic actions like: turning, rolling, jumping,
other ideas to support this unit. travelling, making a shape and holding it;
• work on their own and with a partner or a group;
• perform a canon;
• move in unison;
• change between fast and slow movements;
• change between high and low movements;
• change between light and heavy movements;
• create a pathway;
• improvise an idea;
• move in response to stimuli;
• remember simple movement patterns.

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 ...some children will be able to:
• with a partner pretend to dance with an object to
communicate an idea;
• move at high, low and medium levels;
• move at fast, slow and intermediate speeds;
• make shapes at high, medium and low levels;
• reverse their pathway;
• improvise different ideas;
• demonstrate movements;
• lead a group in movement in response to stimuli;
• remember simple movement patterns and
improve them;
• move smoothly between basic actions and
movement patterns;
• say how they or someone else could improve;
• say why music or dance makes them feel a
certain way.

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Lesson Breakdown Resources

1. Fireworks • Lesson Pack

• Access to the Hall
To perform dances using simple movement patterns in the context
• Streamers or scarves
of events beyond living memory that are significant nationally.
• Fireworks music for example:
• I can dance with an object.
• ‘Music for the Royal fireworks’
by Handel

2. Fireworks Display • Lesson Pack

• Access to the Hall
To perform dances using simple movement patterns in the context
• Streamers or scarves
of events beyond living memory that are significant nationally.
• Fireworks music for example:
• I can use my body and an object to express an idea.
• ‘Music for the Royal fireworks’
by Handel

3. Astronauts • Lesson Pack

• Access to the Hall
To perform dances using simple movement patterns in the context
• Video clip about the moon
of ‘events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or
• Moon walking music for example:
globally’.
Cosmos Volume 2
• I can move in different ways.

4. Aliens • Lesson Pack

• Access to the Hall
To perform dances using simple movement patterns in the context
• Sponge balls
of ‘listening to and discussing a wide range of poems, stories’.
• ‘Aliens Love Underpants’ by Claire
• I can make different shapes with my body.
Freedman

5. Aliens Love Underpants • Lesson Pack

• Access to the Hall
To perform dances using simple movement patterns in the context
• Hoops
of ‘listening to and discussing a wide range of poems, stories’.
• Aliens Love Underpants by Claire
• I can make different shapes with others.
Freedman
• Space travel music for example:
The ‘Star Wars’ theme song by
Jon Williams.

6. Constellations • Lesson Pack

• Access to the Hall
To perform dances using simple movement patterns in the context
• Star dance music for example:
of ‘experience and observe phenomena looking more closely at
Ambient Space music
the natural and human constructed world around them.’
• I can dance in different formations.

National Curriculum Aim Lesson Context Child Friendly

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